AMP increases Horizons entry standards

Candidates wanting to enter the AMP Advisers Academy program will now need to hold a degree equivalent as part of a raft of changes designed to increase professionalism.

A revised course also includes three weeks of online learning and a three-week residential period at the Horizons campus in St Leonards, Sydney.

Following completion of the course, graduates will start their practical experience in an AMP Horizons Practice followed by an AMP-aligned practice.

When employees have worked for 12 months in an AMP-aligned practice, they will be awarded an education grant to go towards achieving their preferred pathway of Certified Financial Planner, Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner or Master of Financial Planning designation – all of which are post-graduate degree equivalents and part of AMP's minimum education standard required by 31 December 2019.

Head of AMP Horizons, Amelia Constantinidis, said the re-design of the Horizons education pathway is the next step for AMP in improving professional standards.

"This reinforces our existing relationship with Griffith University, which has an industry-leading reputation for its finance-related degrees. As we continue to improve professional standards, it made sense for us to look at more ways to work with independent education providers," she said.

"This partnership means Griffith University will now deliver the AMP Adviser Academy program with Horizons to equip Australia's future financial advisers with the foundation knowledge they need to deliver high-quality advice to customers."

The changes are part of AMP's plan to lift adviser professionalism, and include minimum education requirements, a customer advice review panel and partnership with The Ethics Centre to develop a broad-ranging ethics and responsible decision-making program.